Modern Craftsman

Mark Martinez shares his story from being a bad a** framer all the way to Martinez Tool Co. Buckle up for a great episode.

Tyler shares how he developed his system for vetting incoming jobs. The guys also talk about finding subs who work with a sense of urgency.

The guys discuss the future of the trades and how to bring in young talent.

Instagram live Q&A with Nick and John.

In this episode, Matt Risinger @risingerbuild and the guys talk about the benefits and drawbacks of closed foam insulation, managing your business through economical downtimes and finding the balance between work and family life.

Instagram Live Q&A with John, Nick and Tyler.

Jeff Himstedt owner of @j.him_woodworking talks about how he manages working full time for the military services and runs his woodworkings business at night.

Shawn Van Dyke starts our Business Coaching Series!!! Author of "The Paperwork Punch List" 28 Days to Streamline Your Construction Business. Former GC; Redbud Construction (7yrs) and Chief Operating Office at Finish Point Trim & Millwork (3+ yrs). Love some good biz talk and this is Shawn's bread & butter, enjoy!!! Shawnvandyke.com

Jason Burgess, a life long carpenter grew up building homes the "old school" way. Working for a local builder that would farm his own logs and mill them into the necessary lumber to build the homes they created. Start to finish, he would be onsite with his boss performing almost every trade. Jason went off into to a number of related careers only to come back to residential construction with he started his company. Beginning with his personal home, he put a heavy focus on the efficiency and advanced methods of construction. Now a growing business he continues to educate himself and his clients to understand his approach to provide a superior hone.

Steel fabricator turned craftsman and this is The Build Show's Jordan Smith. We chat w/ Jordan about his roll at Risinger Co. & his path to connecting w/ residential construction and Matt Risinger.

Jeremy Cottingham of @Cottingham LTD. breaks down his fast growth in the residential contracting world & his realization that it wasn't his passion. This realization guided him a specialized niche that pushes his passion and creativity to the limits. We also tough on growth…. Growing just to grow to cover all the jobs and not scaled growth. Hope you enjoy Podcast #2 live from JLCLive 2018!!!

Kicking off JLC Live 2018 at the Huber Engineered Woods Booth with Mike Guertin. Mike is a builder, editorial advisor for Fine Home Building and a JLC Live teacher. We chat with Mike about all he is doing within the building community and so much more!

We talk shop w/ Arizona builder Brad Leavitt of A Finer Touch Construction Company. He shares how he got his start in the construction industry, business plan, culture, hiring process and so much more!

We go live answering your questions while attending Cape Cod Lumber's social media meet-up!!!

In November 2016, The Modern Craftsman was created.... Thanks to Kuiken Brothers, Nick, Tyler and John all met for the first time. Give a listen to this first meet up with a seminar the boys took part in called "The Modern Craftsman and Social Media".

Fine Homebuilding Magazine's Editorial Director; Rob Yagid closes out our podcasts while at IBS 2018. Son of a master carpenter, this industry is in his blood! Rob spearheaded the #keepcraftalive movement and we dig into where this industry is heading..... Rob is a great guy and a pleasure to speak with. We hope you enjoy this podcast!!!!

We chat w/ Christine Marvin a 4th generation Marvin family member of Marvin Windows & Doors!! We wanted to know the secret to building a huge company while keeping the culture of a small business!!!

Tom Silva is really all you need to say..... Tom is responsible for inspiring so many of us for being introduced to this industry. Such a class act and a pleasure to talk to. Hope you Enjoy!!! Huge thank you to This Old House & Marvin Windows and Doors for the opportunity!!!

Matt Risinger has so much knowledge to drop that we had to put a mic in front of him for a 3rd time!!!! We crashed the booth of Huber Eng. Woods, and talked a little about what we thought about their products.... Also, hit building science and so much more. Enjoy!!!

@toolaholic joins us for our 2nd podcast from the floor of the 2018 International builder show in Orlando. Kiefer gives us a little insight into 2018 plans, tools, site crashers, IG content & his view of the industry.

2018 International Builders Show starts us off w/ Washington based Dr. Decks!! Jason is a trend setter specializing in the Art of PVC checking & rail heat bending & modification. We chat about this start in the business, the evolution of his career & impact on the deck building industry.

We loved speaking w/ Matt Risinger just as much as u loved listening. So, here's part 2!!!! Enjoy!!!!

Zack Dettmore or @dettmore101 joins the guys for an in depth chat of his early stages in the construction industry and how he started and runs Dettmore Home Improvements. Zack also talks about his future plans for his company.

Part 1 of 2 Matt Risinger of Risinger & Company Texas based High Performance Custom Home Builder. Matt is the perfect blend of high-end execution/ building science / amazing communicator. Want more about Matt check out his YouTube channel or at: mattrisinger.com rising.co

Joe Mitchell our first Modern Craftsman to be featured on Instagram and now we get to hear his story. We talk about the atmosphere & years at Finish Point and the new venture of Revelation Trim Works & GypsyHammer!!! Why he made the change, and the thought process to value risk over complacency.

W/ the handle @RIwoodworker you think the conversation would be about tools, sawdust, cabinetry and technique….. We hit these topics but our convo was around systems & the numbers of the biz. Learn how you build on your skill and create an a family of companies that covers all the components of this industry.

@JCH_cabinets or Jon Hilgenberg as he's know in the real world. We get to chat about cabinets, this craft, the industry and everything in-between. Really cool to hear how Jon got in the biz and how he was treated early on in his career that shaped who and how he works today! Great guy and amazing craftsman!!!!

Branding! We chat w/ @upstatemerch about what they see in trends, do's & don'ts and how their company has helped so many companies showcase their brand through apparel.

We dig a little deeper into the discussion of scale, details & what's happening to the culture of today's Homes. We talk w/ Brandon Ingram, Atlanta Georgia based Architect. We touch on how he got started, schooling, passion, mind-set and how he's grown in such a short time.

Let's talk mechanicals!!!!! We talk w/ Eric Aune of @mechanicalhub about how this side of the trade is evolving; tools, materials, speed/ pricing, etc.

Today we chat w/ @alex7020 of Central PA. Alex along w/ his brothers are building homes on the side while keeping full-time jobs. We touch on how their first spec home burned to the ground weeks before closing and we drill down on the "why" they aren't committing full-time to the spec/ custom home gig they are so passionate about.

We sit down w/ the guy responsible for connecting the three of us and inspiring The Modern Craftsman movement. Ryan Mulkeen, Director of Marketing Kuiken Brothers Company, Inc. We talk trim, history of it, what's changed and what needs to be done to bring the craftsmanship & details BACK!!! Another amazing episode!!!!

Our good friend Jason Black from Artisan Signature Homes sits down with us and talks shop. We get Jason's views on architecture, management and everything in-between from a Builder that's built over 100 HOMES!!!!

Kevin Schuh from @Kmsconstructionllc calls in with a question for the guys: "When you start transitioning more into the management side of construction, how do you ensure that the employees/subcontractors performing the day to day work stay true to pride, workmanship and quality craftsmanship?" John, Nick and Tyler share tips and tricks on how they manage their subcontractors. Even when a product lacks quality, its ok to step back/stop, and work with the employee/subcontractor on correcting. Teaching and educating the individual will help with better execution on future projects.

We don't just answer questions sent in from IG by email. We call the tradesman & builders/contractors and work through their questions submitted!!!!

Today we talk shop w/ Mike Grainger of @Transformationbytcs. We hit topics like growth, training employees, design, vetting process for potential jobs and how to say "no" to a client.

John Marley superintendent for Spire Builders out of Bucks County, PA sits with the boys to discuss what it takes to keep quality high, and the importance of leaving no detail to chance on their multi million dollar build. John also talks about his early years in the business and how he started his own company - Marley Builders, which today, he still runs on the side as a woodworking company.

Did someone say road trip?? John and Nick pack up the truck and head to Pennsylvania to visit with John Marley from Spire Builders. John is working on a large private custom home and the guys are amazed at the level of detail throughout the project, and the thought process that John Marley brings to the table. After a busy day, John and Nick recap their site visit on the long ride home.

Stephen King from Sap Woodworks calls in from the NWFA Expo in Phoenix, AZ and joins the guys for a chat about his hardwood flooring business. Stephen is at the forefront leading the way on educating people about his craft. Many of us take this trade for granted until something goes wrong, but Stephen walks us through every step of the process and why he loves what he does day in and day out.

As day one of the JLC Live comes to a close, the boys sit down at the FastenMaster booth and chat with Stan Romanek from Level Home Improvements. Stan talks about his early start in the industry and how he transitioned from working for someone, to owning his own business.

Nick, Tyler and John are back at the JLC Live. They crashed the Marvin Windows and Doors booth and are talking with Brian Kitchen from Drywall Nation. The guys chat with Brian about how he got started in the drywall industry, and how him and his partner Nick built the Drywall Nation Brand.

Nick, Tyler and John attend the JLC Live in Providence, Rhode Island. They talk with Dennis Molla, from Molla Construction who takes us through his journey from how he got started to where he is today.

In this inaugural episode of The Modern Craftsman, Nick Schiffer, Tyler Grace and Johnny Hourihan introduce you to the world of the Modern Craftsman through their eyes with stories, experiences and tips to help build your brand. The boys kick off the first episode in Nick's shop all huddled around a single mic on a Home Depot bucket. Stay tuned for more!